Question of the Day

Do you support a path to citizenship for Dreamers?

Fat babies

"American children are getting fatter. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that obesity rates for 6- to 11-year-old boys had risen from 6 to 9 percent over a recent 10-year period, and the comparable rate for girls had more than doubled, from 6 percent to 13 percent.

"Writing in Family Relations, Sara Gable and Susan Lutz of the University of Missouri notes … 'Single parent households and households in which both parents work full time have a tendency to favor the consumption of prepared food items, which tend to be high in fat and sodium.' … It's the great divide between a home-cooked meal and a microwave burrito: on the one side stand two-parent families in which mothers anchor a productive household, and on the junk-food side are, well, the kind of parents one sees on network television… .

"Traditional families inculcate better eating habits: 'Parents who reported eating more family meals on a weekly basis also reported more fruits and vegetables available in the home.' … The single parents of these children 'are more often under more stress' than are married parents, write the authors, and have lower income and greater incidences of depression. The children are more often left to their own devices to prepare meals, which are likelier to include french fries than broccoli."

from "No Hubby, Kids Chubby," in the October issue of the Family in America

No need for love

"Thora Birch has been in the business since early childhood, and she's been one of Hollywood's most highly regarded young actresses for years. But as Jane Burnham, the dark and brooding outcast who bares her breasts for the neighbor boy's videocam in 'American Beauty,' Birch became so emblazoned in the moviegoing public's memory that some people now have a hard time seeing her any other way. 'I know I hate that!' says the actress, cracking a grin. 'I can laugh! I can have a good time!' … Having done three films as a follow-up to … 'American Beauty,' Birch hasn't had time to fall in love and doesn't mind. 'I'm 18. How serious could anything be?' she shrugs. 'I date. I'm taking care of my needs.' "

Jeffrey Epstein, writing on "Thora Birch," in the December/ January issue of Movieline

'Marching orders'

"In the wake of one of the closest elections in history, pro-lifers need to take a deep breath, look honestly at our gains and our losses, and get back to the work of educating the American people about the right to life… . In spite of the 27 years of moral destruction wrought by Roe vs. Wade and the Culture of Death, it is clear that a large portion of the public refuses to accept the abortion culture. Once again, the pro-abortion propaganda that claims abortion is a dead subject in American politics has been proved wrong. This is obviously an issue that deeply affects people all over the country. Clearly, abortion will continue to be a critical issue to American politics… .

"The election has given us our marching orders. The Culture of Death may be alive and well in America, but we have seen that it is not invincible. No matter who our next president may be, our mission is clear: We have friends, neighbors, teachers and politicians that need to know why preserving life and family is crucial to the health of our nation… .

"Now that the election has ended, the real work begins. We've helped tell people why they should vote pro-life; now it's time to move on to working for life."

Father Matthew Habiger, president of Human Life International, in a Friday press release

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